I am so excited that Spring is finally here! The winters in the Pacific NW are brutal, not because it’s cold, but it’s more that the constant gloomy, rainy days can get to you… Winter is when hibernation mode sets in for me – it’s dark before I even get home from work and I have absolutely NO motivation to go out and do things when it’s pouring, cold and dark outside – I’d rather stay inside, stand in front of the hot stove and drink lots of Pinot. Winter is also when the onslaught of comfort food makes its way into the kitchen – dishes like risotto, osso buco and braised short ribs…

But now it’s Spring! I’m ready to create more dishes that taste light and fresh, and feature lots of color. Enter these Chicken Gyro Bowls. Just look at the prettiness…

Gyros are traditionally made with either lamb or chicken and served on pita bread with lots of tzatziki (a cucumber-yogurt sauce), a bit of lettuce and a sprinkling of tomatoes. For this recipe, I’m retaining all of those traditional ingredients, but I’m swapping out the heavy pita bread for quinoa which is filled with protein, fiber and iron. Perfect for when you’re looking to eat in a more healthful, mindful way.

Before you take a look at the recipe below, let me forewarn you: The list of ingredients for these Chicken Gyro Bowls can look intimidating – But really, the ingredients in each step are repeated over again – i.e. there is garlic, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and Greek yogurt used in both the chicken marinade and tzatziki sauce. And honestly, you can make these from start to finish in just about 30 minutes – Just be sure to marinate the chicken the night before.

You can also make the pickled onions up to two weeks ahead of time. In truth, I normally have a jar of these pretty pink onions in my fridge at all times. I’ve got an entire post dedicated to how I pickle my onions. In the recipe for these Chicken Gyro Bowls, I make a half batch, but why not go ahead and pickle an entire onion… Then you can have leftovers for topping things like scrambled eggs, tacos and salads.

My new favorite way to make quinoa is in the Instant Pot. If you have one at home, I’d definitely suggest cooking it up in there. It takes just a minute (plus time for pressure to build and release) and it comes out so flavorful and fluffy using these tips.

If you want to get really simple with this recipe, go ahead and buy premade tzatziki from the store, substitute thin-sliced red onion instead of pickling it, and allow the chicken to marinate for just 30-minutes – These Chicken Gyro Bowls will still be delicious even with some shortcuts. Also, these bowls are great for meal prep. Since it’s just the two of us at home, I’ll normally have a couple extra servings to pack for lunches during the week. Love that!

Now that it’s officially Spring, I’m breaking open a couple of my favorite wines that I associate with sunshine – Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé. To pair with these Chicken Gyro Bowls, I chose a couple bottles from Decoy Wines. Crafted from one of the finest American wine producers, these wines definitely elevate an average weekday to a special occasion. I loved the way the dry Rosé with its notes of minerality, pink grapefruit and spice paired with the marinated chicken in these gyro bowls. But I also kept reaching for the Sauvignon Blanc. It’s hints of lemongrass and bright acidity was perfect with the tzatziki sauce and pickled onions.

Which wine would you gravitate towards with these Chicken Gyro Bowls? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Tzatziki:

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Coarsely grate the cucumber using a box grater or food processor. Then wrap in paper towels or a tea towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid.

Place cucumber in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients then mix to combine. Set aside for at least 20 minutes for the flavors combine.

Chicken:

Remove chicken from marinade and cook in a large skillet or grill pan over medium heat 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through. Cut into strips.

Assembly:

Divide quinoa between bowls. Top with chicken strips, pickled onion, tomato, cucumber and feta. Drizzle with tzatziki sauce and garnish with parsley and mint.

If you loved these Chicken Gyro Bowls I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished bowl and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Gyro Quinoa Bowls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 678Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 7g35%

Cholesterol 174mg58%

Sodium 2076mg87%

Potassium 1430mg41%

Total Carbohydrates 42g14%

Dietary Fiber 5g20%

Sugars 9g

Protein 67g134%

Vitamin A11%

Vitamin C22.1%

Calcium28%

Iron19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Wine Pairings for Chicken Gyro Bowls:

Sauvignon Blanc or Vinho Verde will nicely compliment the fresh herbs and citrus in this recipe.

A light fruity red wine, such as Beaujolais, won’t overpower the fresh flavors in this dish

A dry Rosé will also pair well with these quinoa bowls.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

This is right up my street, great idea swapping out the pita bread for quinoa, so much healthier and lighter, this will go perfect with a glass of chilled white wine or a rioja crianza, cheers to spring time!!!

This was another hit in our house! I loved the marinade for the chicken. It was a nice light and refreshing dish for dinner. Tonight I plan to make your Chicken Marsala w/ Mustard & Mascarpone. This will be the third dish this week from your site! I love it!!

I made this recipe this weekend. It was absolutely fabulous. I ended up making a Greek “antipasto” platter to take to a party because the chicken tasted so delicious. Thank you for another awesome recipe!!

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